My hope with this blog, as in all I do, is that God somehow gets glory from it and his sheep are in some way benefited spiritually.

devil

It does us good now and then to consider a subject that may at first seem obvious, and to meditate on it for a moment. Often life keeps us so busy that we don’t stop to spend time thinking about some things that have great consequence in our life. It is a godly endeavor to consider for a few moments Satan’s devices and methods of attack, and I believe that after considering this initial lesson we can learn a further lesson from it. First we will examine a basic lesson about how Satan works, and we will follow that with a look at how he uses the same tactic in a slightly different way today.

Beginnings: Satan’s devices

…Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. (II Corinthians 2:11)

When we consider the first time Satan comes upon the scene in scripture (in the garden of Eden), what was his attack method? Did he come around saying, “I am Satan! All hail the mighty Satan! Worship me!”? No. His approach was to mix truth with lies. He intertwined God’s word with falsities, appearing to quote what God had said while leaving things out and adding some to it.

Let us look closely at what God said and how Satan twisted it. What did God say to Adam?

…Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16-17)

When Satan showed up, he deceived Eve. But what did Satan say specifically?

…And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1)

Is that what God said? It sounds similar, but by changing the wording, at least three important details are lost:

God told them specifically of which tree they were not to eat;

God told them what the consequences would be if they did eat of that tree;

and God’s gift was free. Even though he was not obligated to provide Adam & Eve with any food, God through his grace provided them all of the other trees and allowed them to freely eat of them.

Deception occurred by leaving out details. God was very specific on purpose. In order to practice deception, Satan twisted what God had said.

What happened next?

And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Genesis 3:2-3)

We notice here that Eve added something which God did not say. God mentioned consequences for eating the fruit, but not for touching it.

Let us read on. What we see in the next portion is that Satan moves from simply twisting God’s words to directly contradicting them.

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:4-5)

God said they would die; Satan said they would not. Satan has now introduced a direct contradiction to God’s word.

And we know what happened next.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (Genesis 3:6)

Let’s get an overall view of what happened. Through a series of incremental baby steps, Satan led the woman sufficiently away from God to the point she made a decision to eat of the fruit, and to give it to her husband. (We fully recognize in light of I Timothy 2:14 that Adam himself was not deceived in the fall; he was responsible for what happened. However, that fact is not central to the point we are considering in our study.)

As the first step in Satan’s “baby step” approach, the word of God was slightly altered. Next, it was added to. Then, it was outright contradicted. By that time, the child of God had moved far enough away from the original words of the Lord to be deceived. Brothers and sisters, Satan used an effective tactic, and it still works against the children of God today.

Today: A written attack

What is different today about how Satan works? He still practices deception, yet something has changed. Adam and Eve had the verbal word of God, while we have God’s word in written form. If Satan’s attack was in verbal form in the garden where the word of God was given verbally, how does it stand to reason that his attack will be today when the word of God is written? Would Satan not recognize that the most effective attack he could make against the children of God today would be to twist God’s holy scriptures—the Bible—in order to lead us astray?

I’d like us to consider a vital question for a moment: What if Satan wrote a bible?

If Satan wrote a bible, his approach (just as in the garden of Eden) would not be to say, “All hail the mighty Satan! Fall down and worship me, for I am Satan your king!” No, dear ones; he is subtle and crafty. II Corinthians 11:14 says that he deceives us by transforming himself into an angel of light.

If Satan wrote a bible, his bible would appear at first glance to be the word of God, but instead it would be an imposter which would lead God’s poor little children astray.

Why do we see so many books on the market claiming to be the word of God today? Are they all the word of God? Are there that many different ways of saying the same truth, or could it be that there is one truth and there are many ways of twisting it into a lie? One of my favorite quotes is “Truth ain’t like a bunch of puppies running around and you get to pick your favorite.” Truth is truth. It is absolute.

Did you ever pay special attention to the oath taken by witnesses in court? They are asked to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” If we consider this court oath in detail for a quick moment, we might see that it is worded in a particular way for a very special reason.

In court, a witness who knows something but holds it back hasn’t told the truth. Deception can be practiced by purposely leaving things out. So, the oath given asks the witness to swear to tell the whole truth. Truth is complete, not partial.

Next, a witness who tells the whole truth but adds lies to it hasn’t actually told the truth either. Truth contains no lies. The oath says that the witness must tell nothing but the truth (i.e. not add anything to it).

The oath asked of witnesses in court says specifically to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth” because truth by its very definition doesn’t have versions. By contrast, there are many different ways of deceiving; deception does have versions.

Truth may prove us to be absolutely wrong, and so in our human nature we sometimes don’t like truth. But there it is. Truth is truth. II Peter 3:16 speaks of those who wrest (twist) the scriptures unto their own destruction. Man by nature likes a “revised” word of God because it makes truth more palatable and gives him loopholes. Is this not the same error into which the Pharisees had fallen and of which our Lord continually warned us?

Though we are given a new nature when we are born from above, we still have our sinful nature with which to contend. [“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other” (Galatians 5:17).] Like the Pharisees or any other human being, our flesh likes to get its way, and so our tendency is to shift things around (including God’s word) to ensure that we get our way. But throughout God’s word we see the concept of submission being taught. God expects us to submit to the authority of his word, whether we like what it says or not. We ought not search for a “version” of God’s word that suits our personal notions, but rather to take it as it is.

The table below shows various Bible verses from three “versions” claiming to be the word of God. Key differences are highlighted in red text. I present these verses for your consideration. Does one of the three versions stand above the others, magnifying our God and our Lord Jesus Christ and calling upon us to repent, while the others omit important doctrinal points?

King James Translation

New International Version

New American Standard Bible

Matthew 9:13

for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.

Matthew 18:11

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

OMITTED

footnote casts doubt

Mark 10:24

how hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

Luke 2:22

And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord

And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord

Luke 2:33

And Josephand his mother…

The child’s father and mother…

His father and mother….

Luke 4:4

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Man does not live on bread alone.

Man shall not live on bread alone.

Luke 4:8

Get thee behind me, Satan.

OMITTED

OMITTED

Luke 11:2

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

He said to them, When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come…

And He said to them, When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come…

John 1:18

No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

John 3:13

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven.

No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.

No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.

John 6:47

He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

He who believes has everlasting life.

He who believes has eternal life.

John 7:8

Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.

You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.

Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.

John 8:9

And when they heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out.

those who heard began to go away.

when they heard it, they began to go out one by one.

John 9:4

I must work the works of him that sent me.

We must do the work of him who sent me.

We must work the works of Him who sent Me.

John 10:30

I and my Father are one

I and the Father are one.

I and the Father are one.

John 16:16

A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.

In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.

A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.

Acts 2:30

that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

he would place one of his descendants on his throne.

to seat one of his descendants upon his throne.

Acts 8:37

If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

OMITTED

footnote casts doubt (some editions just omit it)

Acts 23:9

…let us not fight against God.

OMITTED

OMITTED

Romans 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

Romans 13:9

Thou shalt not bear false witness.

OMITTED

OMITTED

I Corinthians 15:47

The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.

The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven.

Colossians 1:14

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

I Timothy 3:16

God was manifest in the flesh.

He appeared in a body.

He who was revealed in the flesh.

I Peter 1:22

Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.

you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth.

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls.

I John 4:3

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.

But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.

And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.

I John 5:7

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

For there are three that testify:

For there are three that testify:

Revelation 1:11

I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book…

which said: “Write on a scroll…

saying, “Write in a book…

Revelation 5:14

Four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

…the elders fell down and worshipped.

…the elders fell down and worshipped.

Revelation 20:9

Fire came down from God out of heaven.

Fire came down from heaven.

Fire came down from heaven.

Revelation 21:24

And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it.

The nations will walk by its light.

And the nations shall walk by its light.

Am I attacking the NIV and the NASB in particular? No. They, like almost all modern books claiming to be God’s word, come from corrupt manuscripts—lies that men have swallowed in the name of scholarship. The child of God is told that they are getting a “better version” that comes from “better manuscripts” and is “easier to understand”. But do we want lies that are easier to understand or truth for which we must dig and seek?

Who decided that reading the word of God should be easy anyway? Hebrews 11:6 tells us that God “is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”, not of them that look for shortcuts and loopholes to make it easier. II Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” A workman! Studying the scriptures is work. One has to wonder what God thinks of people who take something he said we need to work for, and try to make it into something that doesn’t need much work.

Why do I state that the manuscripts are corrupt from which the NIV, NASB, and others like them come? I could supply evidence here, but others have done more research and a better job of presenting it than I ever could. I recommend www.1611kingjamesbible.com/manuscripts.html as a starting point. The site presents what can be a confusing topic in a way that those of us who are new to it can understand.

Look into this subject, dear brothers and sisters. Do not simply take my word for it. It is easy to dismiss this without doing the research. Yet, II Corinthians 11:13 warns us about deceitful workers who purposely try to lead us astray. We must be on guard.

My uncle told me a story about a livestock show where sheep were being shown. The sheep weren’t smart enough to know where to go when it was time for them to be shown, so a trained goat would lead the sheep from pen to pen. It reminds me of what our Lord said in Luke 16:8… “for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” Often, the children of this world (the goats) can be great intellectuals and lead us as the children of light (God’s sheep) in a wrong path if we are not cautious. Do not follow the crowd. Do not believe the lies.

Much more could be said, but perhaps enough has been presented to stir interest in studying this subject further.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you… (Matthew 7:7)